The instant invention relates to the jewelry art and more particularly to an improved jewelry closure device and to a buckle incorporating the closure device.
A wide variety of different types of jewelry closure devices have been heretofore available to meet the needs of various specific jewelry applications wherein it is necessary to releasably secure two separate elements or two opposite end portions of the same element together. For example, a number of jewelry closure devices have been heretofore available for securing various link elements of chains and the like together, as well as for securing the opposite end portions of various chains, necklaces, and bracelets together. In most cases, the heretofore available jewelry closure devices have comprised first and second closure elements which are securable to elements of various jewelry items, such as the opposite end portions thereof, and which are detachably securable together in locked positions for securing the elements or end portions to which they are attached together. It has been found that in most cases, in order to be effective, the first and second closure elements of a jewelry closure device of this general type must be readily and easily securable together in a locked position and also readily and easily releasable to a separated or unlocked position when desired. It has been further found that in order to be effective, a jewelry closure device of this general type must be operative for positively securing the first and second closure elements thereof together so that they are not prone to being inadvertently released or disconnected when they are in the locked position. It has also been found that in order for a jewelry closure device of this general type to be practical for a wide range of applications, it must be adapted for relatively inexpensive sheet-metal constructions.
One specific type of heretofore available jewelry closure device which has been found to be generally effective comprises male and female elements which are securable to different elements of jewelry items or to opposite end portions of the same item and which are releasably securable in a locked position wherein the male element is received in the female element. Devices of this general type which represent the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 248,641 to Etzensperger; 251,645 to Scherer; 468,175 to Adams; 856,606 to Scanlon; 320,464 to Cousins; and 3,798,711 to Cousins. However, many of the closure devices disclosed in these references are not adapted for inexpensive sheet-metal constructions, and many of them have been found to be prone to inadvertent disengagement. In any event, the devices disclosed in these references have not had the specific features of the closure device of the instant invention which make it simply and easily securable in a locked position and easily releasable to an unlocked position, and hence they are believed to be of only general interest with respect to the subject invention.
The instant invention provides an improved closure device which is adapted for relatively inexpensive constructions and which can be effectively utilized for releasably securing two jewelry items or the opposite end portions of the same jewelry item together. More specifically, the closure device of the instant invention comprises a female member which is open at the front thereof and includes a pair of spaced sidewalls, a bottom wall and a top wall having a substantially rectangular aperture therein. The closure device further comprises a male member including a bottom plate portion which is dimensioned to be slidably received on the bottom wall of the female member, a nose portion which extends integrally upwardly from the front end of the bottom plate portion and then rearwardly in upwardly spaced relation to the bottom plate portion, and a resiliently depressible button portion which extends upwardly and then rearwardly from the nose portion. The button portion comprises a front wall portion which extends upwardly from the nose portion, a top plate portion which extends rearwardly from the front wall portion in further upwardly spaced relation to the bottom plate portion, and a rear wall portion which extends downwardly toward the bottom plate portion from the top plate portion. The male and female members are preferably constructed from a suitable sheet metal, and they are adapted so that the male member is receivable in the female member by inserting the front end of the male member into the open end of the female member and then advancing the male member further inwardly into the female member until the male member is received in a locked position in the female member. More specifically, the male and female members are constructed so that the male member is releasably securable in a locked position in the female member wherein the bottom plate portion of the male member is received on the bottom wall, and the button portion of the male member is received in the aperture in the top wall of the female member so that the rear wall portion of the button portion engages the front edge of the aperture to prevent the male member from being inadvertently removed from the female member. The button portion preferably further includes a terminal portion which extends rearwardly from the rear wall portion thereof to prevent the rear wall portion of the button portion from passing entirely through the aperture, and the button portion is preferably formed so that the front wall portion thereof merges with the top plate portion in a gradually rounded cam surface to enable the male member to be more easily inserted into the female member. The top plate portion of the button portion is preferably of substantially rectangular configuration and of slightly smaller dimension than the aperture in the top wall of the female member. The open end of the female member is preferably of substantially rectangular configuration, and the bottom slide plate portion of the male member preferably has a width which is only slightly less than the width of the bottom wall. Further, the nose portion and button portion of the male member are preferably constructed so that they have substantially the same width, and they are preferably both narrower than the bottom plate portion. The female member preferably further includes a pair of spaced alignment tabs which extend inwardly and together along the top wall portion from opposite sides of the open end of the female member. The alignment tabs are preferably positioned for receiving the button portion of the male member therebetween and for guiding the button portion into the aperture when the male member is inserted into the female member. Further, the female member is preferably constructed so that the height thereof is gradually reduced from the open front end of the female member to the rear end thereof. Accordingly, when the male member is inserted into the female member, the button portion projects further upwardly through the rear portion of the aperture in the female member to enable the male member to be more easily released from the locked position. Still further, the closure device is preferably constructed so that when the male member is received in a locked position in the female member, the button portion defines the uppermost portion of the male member and so that the male member is releasable by manually depressing the button portion to disengage the rear wall portion of the button portion from the front edge of the aperture but so that the button portion is not prone to inadvertent disengagement from the aperture.
It has been found that the structural features of the closure device of the subject invention make it highly practical and effective for a wide variety of applications. Specifically, it has been found that it is readily adapted for a variety of relatively inexpensive sheet-metal constructions. Further, the it has been found that specific dimensions and configurations of the male and female members make the male member readily and easily receivable in the female member. In particular, it has been found that the alignment tabs effectively guide the male member as it is inserted into the female member, that the bottom plate portion of the male member also effectively guides the male member as it is inserted into the female member, and that the rounded forward portion of the button portion causes the button portion to be easily and effectively cammed downwardly as the male member is inserted into the female member. It has also been found that the specific structural features of the male member and the female member enable the male member to be secured in a locked position in the female member wherein it is easily releasable therefrom although not readily inadvertently releasable therefrom. Specifically, the front wall of the button portion positively engages the forward edge of the aperture to retain the male member in the female member. Further, since the button portion defines the uppermost portion of the male member when the male member is received in the locked position, the male member inherently does not include elements which extend further upwardly above the button portion and which could therefore cause it to be inadvertently disengaged from the female member. Still further, it has been found that the tapered configuration of the female member causes the button portion to project upwardly above the female member by an increased amount in the rear portion of the aperture in the female member to enable the male member to be more easily released from the female member.
The instant invention also provides an effective buckle construction comprising the inventive closure device. Specifically, the buckle construction of the instant invention comprises a first buckle member having front and rear sides and having a first mating edge on one peripheral edge portion thereof and a recess in the rear side thereof, and a second buckle member having front and rear sides and having a second mating edge on one peripheral edge portion thereof and a recess in the rear side thereof. The first and second buckle members are formed so that they are receivable in mating relation with the mating edges thereof received in mating engagement, and a female closure member of the subject invention is secured in the recess on the rear side of the first closure member so that the open front end of the first closure member faces outwardly from the first mating edge. A male closure member of the subject invention is secured to the rear side of the second buckle member in the recess therein so that it projects outwardly from the second mating edge and so that it is receivable in the female closure member for securing the buckle members in assembled relation with the mating edges thereof received in mating engagment.
It has been found that the buckle of the instant invention also has specific advantages over other types of buckle constructions. In particular, it has been found that because the female and male closure members of the buckle are disposed in the recesses in the first and second buckle members, respectively, and that because the closure members are formed without rearwardly extending projections or the like thereon, the buckle can be worn against the skin without causing irritations or on clothing without causing damage thereto.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an improved jewelry closure device.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a jewelry closure device which is easily securable in a locked position and easily releasable to an unlocked position, but not prone to inadvertent disengagement to said unlocked position.
A still further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective jewelry closure device which is adapted for relatively inexpensive constructions.
Still another object of the instant invention is to provide an effective buckle which incorporates the closure device of the instant invention.